July 26, 2006

Digital Art

While the phrase "digital art" used to evoke thoughts of cheesy Photoshopped dreamscapes and clunky animated GIF graphics, it now applies to an ever-expanding, sophisticated field of interactive web projects, mutated video games, and hacktivist interventions. Surveying the current state of Net art, we uncover today's hubs of innovation and interview a champion of new media, Lauren Cornell of Rhizome. As digital artists mine the possibilities of performance and collaboration, we spotlight Cory Arcangel, who creates Nintendo-based spectacles of existential angst, and recommend At the Edge of Art , a primer on new media concoctions. Continuing to cover the more traditional arts as well, we touch on current shows of Candida Höfer's lavish photographs and Mona Hatoum's ominous installations.